OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot are set to depart from WhatsApp due to impending changes in the messaging app’s terms of service. WhatsApp’s updated terms will soon prohibit the use of AI chatbots not developed by Meta, prompting both companies to announce their exits. OpenAI revealed its decision a few weeks ago, with Microsoft following suit this week. The departures are directly linked to Meta’s new terms, which are scheduled to take effect on January 15th, 2026. Until that date, the chatbots will remain functional on WhatsApp. While ChatGPT users can preserve their chat history by linking their accounts to WhatsApp, Copilot users will not have this option.
WhatsApp’s policy revision, announced in October, specifically bars AI firms from utilizing its business API to disseminate chatbots. However, the platform will still permit other companies to employ WhatsApp for customer service or support chatbots, as long as the AI itself is not the primary product. This move effectively prevents Meta’s AI competitors from leveraging WhatsApp to engage with customers. A Meta spokesperson emphasized that the WhatsApp Business API aims to aid businesses in offering customer support and delivering pertinent updates.
This development suggests that additional third-party AI chatbots, such as Perplexity, may also exit WhatsApp soon, leaving Meta AI as the sole remaining option starting next January.
Source: The Verge